Loaf Feast/ Frey Feast Blot and Rite/ Deeper Threads and Wisdom!!
At Loaf Feast/ Frey Feast , traditionally a time that we break bread together, a rite and ritual that is anchored in sharing and harvest, gift giving!! Bonds, and Kinship, here we are together once more, and what a gift that has become!! May we never lose sight of the importance of a simple act of sharing, being present with each other!! To be able to sit and celebrate, what a deep, rich gift!! One that stirs so much feeling and emotion in me, in us..
When the seed and inspired nudge came, to weave these open rites into being, I seeked permission on May Eve, I sat in Utiseta, In ancient Norse, Utiseta done at a transitional point, a crossroads, a hedge way, where water meets land, a waterfall, a doorway, a gateway!! Where we met the inner teacher, we watch, sit and listen deeply, I sat under this Large Oak, beside this ancient hedgerow of Hawthorn, and Blackthorn!! I performed a Blot and journeyed!! Permission was seeked and granted.
I knew, felt the importance of Loaf Feast being the root and start of our journey, the spark that would weave our community and journey together beautifully, to let it start like a tiny seed and grow, to break bread together, I felt it was a beautiful way of weaving this together!!
I truly believe the land beneath our feet is releasing her stories, all of what she has witnessed, seen and felt!! She is urging us to touch the ground and reach deep into the Earth with our bare hands, to pull those stories up into the light , like lost seeds, that are yearning to be reborn , retold and remembered .. This is how we move from harm to healing. Through our collective story… We are being urged to reclaim our heritage, our pride, honour and lead with all our mite and heart!! Not just for us, for our Children's, Children.
Story of Sharing, Meeting as Strangers and parting as Kin!!
Sharing is an innate gift that is deeply wired into our being, with us approaching Loaf Feast, for us a time of thanks and deep sharing, celebrating our up and coming Earth Journey. I felt it was a great time to share this story!!
A few years back I was at a talk about the climate and the effects of a changing world!! I sat on a Hay Bail on a road that had been closed, I was gestured by a stranger, to come and sit with her, she met me with a smile, and I sat with ease, she was gently peeling an Orange, once she had, she smiled deeply at me, a smile that came from her eyes, it somehow wrapped itself around me and without a single word, she passed me half the Orange, it was a experience that has never left me, at that very moment the talk was about food shortages in the years to come, from crop failures, and weather extremes. The fragility of the just in time food system… A simple moment shared, yet one that I will never forget, sharing, and breaking bread is something long forgotten for most, yet may we weave it back into being!! Myself and that Lady met as strangers yet parted as Kin!!
Strength and kindness are one of the same thing they need to hold hands, they are the same being, aspects of each other. Beautiful wisdom from a very wise herbalist I know....
True strength and true kindness to oneself and each other, is the ability to feel, to cry, to rest, to say no, to say yes and mean it, to have boundaries, to be vulnerable and have courage to represent your heart in the most authentic way you can.
So before we hold our Blot and Rite what brings you here? Let's pass the Talking Stick and let's share!!
Frey and Freya are the life-giving sunshine and rain that blesses the fields with fertility and abundance. It is said that Frey when He fell in love with a maiden, named Gerd, He gave away his sword in order to win Her hand in marriage.
Freya is known as the Mistress of Healing, Magic, and Love, she is also rooted in fertility!! sex and peacefulness and frith. As well as being a fierce Shield Maiden and warrior when required.
Loaf Feast Rite and Blot
All Father, Frey and Freya receive our Blot Let there be ease of heart upon our lands, our homes and our lives. May you bear witness to our celebrations this day in your honour! May your presence be felt. May you partake and celebrate with us!
Elder Woman to Read Rite
We harvest the seed and the grain from this land and place.
And transformation now surrounds us, from the shell of the old world the new world will be born!
We forge joy among the chaos, roses as well as bread!!
Lets share our rewards and bless the earth, weave and return to the centre, move from harm to healing!! We want to live a full satisfying and joyous life in harmony with nature and coexisting in peace without fear.
We no longer buy into the old life we were sold.
The new way of life is being born.
Release seeds and petals of deep gratitude!!
With our smiles spread a glint of hope, love and care!!
Let our spirits belong to the world
Move forward together light and bold,
As summer slowly recedes and winter draws nearer!!
Holdfast and True
Bless the departed the newly arrived
Let black the clouds drift on by, the noisy confusion of life, come and go!!
Let us reweave and return to the centre!!
Keep gratitude within our souls, we honour the Landwights,
Let peace be upon this place, our hearts and lives now and forevermore.
Elder Man
May our Freya’s Woman the youngest of us step forwards, May you carry this Horn around our Circle!! May we bless and charge it with prayer, deed and action.. The horn will then be passed around the circle from person to person back to our Freya’s Woman and you will also have a chance to toast to Freya and Frey, offer something to them, or ask for a relevant blessing from them. If you do not wish to say anything, you can instead say “Hail!” and hold it briefly skyward..
Now our circle and prayers have been woven May we now pour into our Blot Bowl Beside our Loaf and Flowers!!
Let peace be upon this place, our hearts and lives now and forevermore.
RUNIC WHISPERS
As we approached Loaf Feast on Mead Moon, I lit our Family's Altar, weaving Magic that was honoured and started On Winter Solstice and Every Full and New Moon Since!!
There I sat candles lit the room full of smoke, the air filled with resin and herbs, I journeyed deep into the liminal, dropping between the layers held fast and firm by the "Weavers Chair" Spell Cast and Magic running once more, there has been a tangible shift in the last two Moons and more so since our last new Moon!! A little deeper now, somewhere between sleep and awake, I am in the cracks, the dream space, a crack of thunder, yet held!! Images fill my mind followed by feeling and knowing!!
I grasp My Rune Bag and Runes!! A Offering of deep gratitude to Beloved Freya, Mistress of Magic, Healing and Love, and To Brigid, Keeper of The Hearth, Home and Flame!!! And to mighty All Father Odin, Wanderer, Seeker and Rune Master!! A single flame dedicated to them!!
I place my hand gently into the bag, the Runes feel like old friends for they are!! I dig deep into the well, and then feel the tug and pull the Rune from deep within the Bag!! I pull it up into the light, like a seed, a story to be told, retold and remembered.
There it sat on the palm of my hand I placed it gently on our Altar, The Rune that carries us from Mead Moon, Loaf Feast into Haustblot and the Autumn Equinox is Ansuz this Rune is a messenger Rune, it talks of receiving messages, signals and gifts.. The Message is of a new way of life unfolding.
As a wise and precious friend said to me only today " The old system is falling away on every level. It can no longer sustain. As we choose to consciously move away from the old failed ways of living - we bring about change for the greater good. Not just for ourselves but for others who are searching for new ways to live and exist in peace and harmony. Every small step and decision to move away from a broken system matters hugely for our future.
We want to live a full satisfying and joyous life in harmony with nature and coexisting in peace without fear.
We no longer buy into the old life we were sold.
The new way of life is being born. Some people are further along in the journey than others, but more and more people each day are waking up and starting to make fundamental changes to their way of living and belief systems.
Ansuz is the first of thirteen Runes that make up the cycle of initiation, the Rune that focuses directly upon the roots of self change and as such addresses our need to integrate unconscious motive with conscious intent . Drawing Ansuz tells us that the connection with the divine is at hand!!
At the same time you are reminded that you must draw from the well to nourish and give to yourself and then to others, This Rune also speaks of Solidarity, Oaths, Bonds, Kin and Clan.